What is SAP HANA?

SAP In-Memory Database:

􀂾  The SAP In-Memory Database is a hybrid in-memory database that combines row-based, column-based, and object-based database technology. It is optimized to exploit parallel processing capabilities of modern multi-core/CPU architectures. With this architecture, SAP applications can benefit from current hardware technologies.


􀂾  The SAP In-Memory Database is at the heart of SAP offerings like SAP HANA thathelp customers to improve their operational efficiency, agility, and flexibility.



􀂾  SAP HANA is a flexible, data-source-agnostic appliance that allows customers toanalyze large volumes of SAP ERP data in real-time, avoiding the need to materialize transformations.


􀂾  SAP HANA is a hardware and software combination that integrates a number of SAP components including the SAP In-Memory Database, Sybase Replication technology and SAP LT (Landscape Transformation) Replicator, which replicate SAP ERP data to SAP HANA by means of state-of-the-art replication technologies.


􀂾  SAP HANA is delivered as an optimized appliance in conjunction with leading SAP hardware partners.



The SAP IM Database installation currently supports three kinds of installations/upgrades:

server (in-memory computing engine)
client (in-memory computing interfaces like odbc, jdbc, sqldbc, odbo)
studio (in-memory computing studio for administration, monitoring, sql query execution, modelling BI queries, ...)
The SAP IM Database installation provides the following tools for execution on
Command line
hdbinst (install a server or install/update a client or studio)
hdbupd (upgrade a server)
hdbuninst (remove a installation)
hdbaddhost (add an additional host to an existing SAP IM Database system)
hdbrename (rename an existing SAP IM Database system / customize a master copy
hdbsetup (Installation tool with graphical)
hanaconfig (Command-line tool for reconfiguring a system)


Services are:

Nameserver : The nameserver stores the database topology, meta data and authorization information. The Master services stores data in its persistence disk area. Slave nameserver communicate with the master but have no own persistence disk area.


Indexserver : Indexservers store user data and serve SQL requests. They perform the indexing of column based tables. The master index server and slave index servers have a persistence disk space.

Statisticsserver : The statisticsserver collects monitoring data from the indexservers and stores it in statistics tables. Furthermore it checks the health of the database and thoughts alerts in case of undesired behaviors. The database runs one statisticsserver.

Xsengine : This service performs the tasks the HANA XS Server. It uses persistence disk space, usually with low space requirements.

Preprocessor : The preprocessor is responsible for preparing data (especially text data) to be indexed by the column engine. It doesn't store persistent data.